Data communication
Data Communications is the exchange of data
between two devices using some form of wired or
wireless transmission medium.
Components of data communication
Message
Protocol Sender
Medium Receiver
Data transmission mode
Data transmission mode refers to the direction
of signal flow between two linked devices .
There are three types of transmission modes
Half- Full-
Simplex
duplex duplex
Transmission media
Refers to the physical media through which
communication signals (data &
information) are transmitted
Unguided Media
Guided Media Radio frequency
twisted pair, coaxial propagation ,
cable , optical fibre
Microwave,
satellite
Telecommunications and Networking in Today’s
Business World
What is a computer network?
Two or more connected computers
Major components in simple network
Client computer
Server computer
Network interfaces (NICs)
Connection medium
Network operating system
Hub or switch
Routers
Device used to route packets of data through different networks,
ensuring that data sent gets to the correct address
Telecommunications and Networking in Today’s
Business World
COMPONENTS OF A SIMPLE COMPUTER NETWORK
Illustrated here is a very simple computer network, consisting of computers, a network
operating system residing on a dedicated server computer, cable (wiring) connecting
FIGURE 7-1
the devices, network interface cards (NICs), switches, and a router.
Telecommunications and Networking in Today’s
Business World
CORPORATE
NETWORK
INFRASTRUCTURE
Today’s corporate network
infrastructure is a collection
of many different networks
from the public switched
telephone network, to the
Internet, to corporate local
area networks linking
workgroups, departments, or
office floors.
FIGURE 7-2
Types of networks
Local Area Networks (LAN)
Metropolitan Area network (MAN)
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Local area network
Network that connects communications devices
within 2,000 feet(usually within same building) so
that every user device on the net work can be
communicate with any other.
Metropolitan area network
Spread over metropolitan area such as a city
Connecting number of LANs
MAN may be operated by one organization ( a
corporate with several offices in a city) or be shared
resources used by several organisations in the same
city
Wide area network
System of interconnecting many computers over a
large geographical area such as cities , states ,
countries or even whole world.
Networks that covers wide geographic
areas include regional networks such as a telephone
companies or international networks such as global
communications services providers may be
commercials privately owned or public
Largest WAN---INTERNET
Wide area network
Networks that covers wide geographic areas
include regional networks such as a
telephone companies or international
networks such as global communications
services providers may be commercials
privately owned or public.
Network topologies
Topology refers to the way network is laid out either
physically or logically
Networks shape
Five basic topologies: Bus, Ring , Star , Tree, Mesh
BUS TOPOLOGY
All computers and devices
connected to central cable or bus.
Consists of a main run of cable
with a terminator at each end.
Popular on LANs because they
are inexpensive and easy to
install.
DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE THREE
TYPES OF NETWORK TOPOLOGY
BUS
ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE
1) Easy to connect computer or 1) Entire network shuts down if
peripheral to a linear bus. there is a break in the main
cable.
2) Requires less cable length 2) Terminators are required at
than a star topology. both ends of the backbone
cable.
3) Difficult to identify the
problem if the entire network
shuts down.
RING TOPOLOGY
Cable forms closed ring or loop,
with all computers and devices
arranged along ring.
Data travels from device to
device around entire ring, in
one direction.
Primarily is used for LANs,
but also is used in WANs.
DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE THREE
TYPES OF NETWORK TOPOLOGY
RING
ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE
1) Data is quickly transferred 1) Data packets must pass
without a ‘bottle neck’. through every computer
between the sender and
recipient therefore, this makes
it slower.
2) The transmission of data is 2) If any of the nodes fail then the
relatively simple as packets ring is broken and data cannot be
travel in one direction only. transmitted successfully.
3) It is difficult to troubleshoot
the ring.
STAR TOPOLOGY
All devices connect to a
central device, called
hub.
All data transferred
from one computer to
another passes through
hub.
DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE THREE
TYPES OF NETWORK TOPOLOGY
STAR
ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE
1) Easy to install and wire. 1) Requires more cable length
than a linear topology.
2) Security can be implemented 2) If the hub or concentrator
in the hub/switch. fails, nodes attached are
disabled.
3) Easy to detect faults and to 3) More expensive than linear
remove parts. bus topologies because of the
cost of the concentrators.
Tree topology
Combines characteristics of linear bus and star
topologies
Majority of nodes connect to a secondary hub that in
turn is connected to central hub
ADVANTAGES: Distance to which a signal can travel
increases, easy expansion
DISADVANTAGES: backbone breaks , entire segment
down , difficult to configure
mesh topology
Every node has a dedicated point to point link to every
other node.
Message sent on a mesh can take several possible
paths from source to destination
A fully connected mesh network has n(n-1)/2 physical
links to link n devices
ADVANTAGES: eliminates network congestion, one
link becomes unusable it does not disable entire
system
DISADVANTAGES: cabling, hardware expensive
Network devices
Interconnect individual computers and ensure they
communicate efficiently
1. Network interface card
2. Repeater
3. Hub
4. Bridge
5. Switch
6. Router
7. Gateway
Network devices
1. Network interface card First contact between a
2. Repeater machine & network
3. Hub
4. Bridge
5. Switch
6. Router
7. Gateway
Network devices
Signals that carry information
within a network can travel a
1. Network interface fixed distance before
card attenuation endangers the
integrity of the data
2. Repeater Repeater installed on the link
receives signal, regenerates it &
3. Hub sends refreshed copy
Used to regenerate signal when
4. Bridge
it exceeds specification limits
5. Switch LAN using a star topology with
twisted pair cable..limit 100
6. Router metres..when exceeds repeater
used.
7. Gateway
network devices
Small box that connects
1. Network interface card individual devices on a
2. Repeater network so that they can
communicate
3. Hub
4 to 400 ports
4. Bridge When signal received on
5. Switch one port it is regenerated
6. Router to all other ports.
7. Gateway
network devices
1. Network interface card Device that allows
2. Repeater division of a large
3. Hub network into 2 smaller ,
more efficient networks
4. Bridge
Used to connect
5. Switch
different type of
6. Router topologies
7. Gateway Same protocol networks
network devices
Multi port bridge
1. Network interface cardCapable of inspecting data
2. Repeater packets as they are received ,
3. Hub determining source &
4. Bridge destination device of that
5. Switch packet & forward it.
6. Router
7. Gateway
networkdevices
Aim is to trace the best
1. Network interface card route for information to
2. Repeater travel.
They can listen to the entire
3. Hub
network to determine which
4. Bridge sections are the busiest-
5. Switch they can redirect data
6. Router around until they clear up
7. Gateway
network devices
1. Network interface card Protocol converter
2. Repeater Gateway accepts packet
3. Hub formatted for one
4. Bridge protocol & converts it
into another protocol.
5. Switch
6. Router
7. Gateway
